Top

Hydrogeology Journal

19-02-2024 | Paper

Effective method for identification of preferential flow paths in two-dimensional discrete fracture networks based on a flow resistance method

Authors: Lei Ma, Xuelin Cui, Chunchao Zhang, Jiazhong Qian, Di Han, Yongshuai Yan

Published in: Hydrogeology Journal

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Preferential flow is usually characterized by rapid and concentrated fluid flow in fractured geological media, and preferential flow paths (PFP) dominate the fluid flux and velocity. Therefore, the identification of PFP is significant for quantitatively characterizing fluid flow in fractured media, especially in discrete fracture networks (DFN). The traditional methods of identifying PFP need to solve groundwater flow models; however, such models are limited by complex groundwater-related problems, the need for detailed hydrogeological survey data, and a high computational workload. In this study, a graph-theory-based flow resistance method is proposed for identifying the PFP in DFN. The method uses the flow resistance of fracture trace lines to identify the corresponding minimum resistance path. The flow resistance is defined as the weighted factor between the adjacent nodes in the fracture network based on the formula of the modified cubic law, and then the Dijkstra algorithm is used to determine the minimum resistance path. The flow resistance method is verified through case analysis by numerical simulation with COMSOL Multiphysics. The results show that the fluid tends to flow along the path with less flow resistance, and the minimum resistance path is essentially consistent with the preferential flow path. The method only needs to extract flow resistance values from the geometric parameters of the fractures, and then quickly analyze the fracture-network pathways to identify the preferential flow path. The method provides an effective and efficient way of identifying the preferential flow path without resorting to complex groundwater flow models to find the solution.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Available only for authorised users

Bhark EW, Jafarpour B, Datta-Gupta A (2011) A generalized grid connectivity-based parameterization for subsurface flow model calibration. Water Resour Res 47(6). https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009982

Bianchi M, Zheng C, Tick GR, Gorelick SM (2011a) Investigation of small-scale preferential flow with a forced-gradient tracer test. Groundwater 49(4):503–514. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.2010.00746.xCrossRef

Bianchi M, Zheng C, Wilson C, Tick GR, Liu G, Gorelick SM (2011b) Spatial connectivity in a highly heterogeneous aquifer: from cores to preferential flow paths. Water Resour Res 47(5). https://doi.org/10.1029/2009WR008966

Blake S, Henry T, Moore JP, Murray J, Campanyà J, Muller MR, Jones AG, Rath V, Walsh J (2021) Characterising thermal water circulation in fractured bedrock using a multidisciplinary approach: a case study of St Gorman’s Well, Ireland. Hydrogeol J 29(8):2595–2611. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-021-02393-1ADSCrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Borgne Tl, Bour O, Paillet FL, Caudal J (2006) Assessment of preferential flow path connectivity and hydraulic properties at single-borehole and cross-borehole scales in a fractured aquifer. J Hydrol 328:347–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.12.029CrossRef

Boso F, Bellin A, Dumbser M (2013) Numerical simulations of solute transport in highly heterogeneous formations: a comparison of alternative numerical schemes. Adv Water Resour 52:178–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2012.08.006ADSCrossRef

Brown S, Caprihan A, Hardy R (1998) Experimental observation of fluid flow channels in a single fracture. J Geophys Res: Solid Earth 103(B3):5125–5132. https://doi.org/10.1029/97JB03542CrossRef

Chuang P-Y, Chia Y, Liou Y-H, Teng M-H, Liu C-Y, Lee T-P (2016) Characterization of preferential flow paths between boreholes in fractured rock using a nanoscale zero-valent iron tracer test. Hydrogeol J 24(7):1651–1662. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1426-7ADSCrossRef

Cui G, Ning F, Dou B, Li T, Zhou Q (2022) Particle migration and formation damage during geothermal exploitation from weakly consolidated sandstone reservoirs via water and CO₂ recycling. Energy 240:122507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.122507CrossRef

Dang W, Wu W, Konietzky H, Qian J (2019) Effect of shear-induced aperture evolution on fluid flow in rock fractures. Comput Geotech. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.103152CrossRef

Deng Y, Tian X, Li P, Peng X, Li Y, Shi Z, Zou D (2022) Research on the influence of roughness on solute transport through 3D self-affine fractures by lattice Boltzmann simulation. Arab J Geosci 15(5):393. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-09651-wCrossRef

Dijkstra EW (1959) A note on two problems in connexion with graphs. Numer Math 1(1):269–271. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01386390MathSciNetCrossRef

Dou Z, Sleep B, Zhan H, Zhou Z, Wang J (2019) Multiscale roughness influence on conservative solute transport in self-affine fractures. Int J Heat Mass Transf 133:606–618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.12.141CrossRef

Floyd RW (1962) Algorithm 97: shortest path. Commun ACM 5(6). https://doi.org/10.1145/367766.368168

Gao Q, Zhong C, Han P, Cao R (2021) Characteristics of preferential flow paths in reservoirs after polymer flooding and an adaptive compound flooding method. Chem Technol Fuels Oils 57:368–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10553-021-01255-6CrossRef

Goc RL, Dreuzy J-Rd, Davy P (2010) An inverse problem methodology to identify flow channels in fractured media using synthetic steady-state head and geometrical data. Adv Water Resour 33:782–800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2010.04.011ADSCrossRef

Han P-h, Liu R-s J, Chen G, Zhang X-l, Yan K, Wang P (2021) Quantitative identification of preferential flow paths in polymer flooding reservoir using streamline numerical simulation. Proceedings of the International Field Exploration and Development Conference 2020, Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0761-5_284

Hsu S-M, Ke C-C, Lin Y, Huang C, Wang Y (2019) Unravelling preferential flow paths and estimating groundwater potential in a fractured metamorphic aquifer in Taiwan by using borehole logs and hybrid DFN/EPM model. Environ Earth Sci 78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8150-2

Hu Y, Xu W, Zhan L-T, Zou L, Chen Y (2022) Modeling of solute transport in a fracture-matrix system with a three-dimensional discrete fracture network. J Hydrol 605:127333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127333CrossRef

Huang N, Jiang Y, Liu R, Li B, Sugimoto S (2019) A novel three-dimensional discrete fracture network model for investigating the role of aperture heterogeneity on fluid flow through fractured rock masses. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 116:25–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2019.03.014CrossRef

Hyman JD (2020) Flow channeling in fracture networks: characterizing the effect of density on preferential flow path formation. Water Resour Res 56(9):e2020WR027986. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR027986

Hyman JD, Dentz M (2021) Transport upscaling under flow heterogeneity and matrix-diffusion in three-dimensional discrete fracture networks. Adv Water Resour 155:103994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2021.103994CrossRef

Hyman JD, Aldrich G, Viswanathan H, Makedonska N, Karra S (2016) Fracture size and transmissivity correlations: implications for transport simulations in sparse three-dimensional discrete fracture networks following a truncated power law distribution of fracture size. Water Resour Res 52(8):6472–6489. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR018806ADSCrossRef

Ishibashi T, Watanabe N, Tamagawa T, Tsuchiya N (2019) Three-dimensional channeling flow within subsurface rock fracture networks suggested via fluid flow analysis in the Yufutsu fractured oil/gas reservoir. J Petrol Sci Eng. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2019.04.003CrossRef

Jiang Q, Yao C, Ye Z, Zhou C (2013) Seepage flow with free surface in fracture networks. Water Resour Res 49(1):176–186. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012WR011991ADSCrossRef

Jtc A, Jpm A, Jt B, Al C, Njg A, Ddn A, Pna D (2004) Single-phase flow in a rock fracture: micro-model experiments and network flow simulation. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 41(4):687–693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2004.01.003CrossRef

Ju Y, Liu P, Zhang D, Dong J, Ranjith PG, Chang C (2018) Prediction of preferential fluid flow in porous structures based on topological network models: algorithm and experimental validation. Sci China Technol Sci 61(8):1217–1227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-017-9171-xADSCrossRef

Lang PS, Paluszny A, Zimmerman RW (2014) Permeability tensor of three-dimensional fractured porous rock and a comparison to trace map predictions. J Geophys Res: Solid Earth 119(8):6288–6307. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JB011027ADSCrossRef

Leube PC, Barros FPJ, Nowak W, Rajagopal R (2013) Towards optimal allocation of computer resources: trade-offs between uncertainty quantification, discretization and model reduction. Environ Model Softw 50:97–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2013.08.008CrossRef

Li B, Mo Y, Zou L, Liu R, Cvetkovic V (2020) Influence of surface roughness on fluid flow and solute transport through 3D crossed rock fractures. J Hydrol 582:124284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124284CrossRef

Li B, Cui X, Zou L, Cvetkovic V (2021) On the relationship between normal stiffness and permeability of rock fractures. Geophys Res Lett 48(20):e2021GL095593. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095593

Liu E (2005) Effects of fracture aperture and roughness on hydraulic and mechanical properties of rocks: implication of seismic characterization of fractured reservoirs. J Geophys Eng 2(1):38–47. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-2132/2/1/006CrossRef

Lomize G (1951) Filtratsiya v treshchinovatykh porodakh [Filtration in fractured rocks]. Gosenergoizdat, Moscow, 127 pp

Ma K, Wang L, Peng Y, Long L, Wang S, Chen T (2020) Permeability characteristics of fractured rock mass: a case study of the Dongjiahe coal mine. Geomat Nat Haz Risk 11(1):1724–1742. https://doi.org/10.1080/19475705.2020.1811403CrossRef

Ma L, Gao D, Qian J, Han D, Xing K, Ma H, Deng Y (2023a) Multiscale fractures integrated equivalent porous media method for simulating flow and solute transport in fracture-matrix system. J Hydrol 617:128845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128845CrossRef

Ma L, Han D, Qian J, Gao D, Ma H, Deng Y, Hou X (2023b) Numerical evaluation of the suitability of the equivalent porous medium model for characterizing the two-dimensional flow field in a fractured geologic medium. Hydrogeol J 31(4):913–930. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-023-02627-4ADSCrossRef

Morales VL, Dentz M, Willmann M, Holzner M (2017) Stochastic dynamics of intermittent pore-scale particle motion in three-dimensional porous media: experiments and theory. Geophys Res Lett 44:9361–9371. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074326ADSCrossRef

Moslehi M, Rajagopal R, Barros FPJ (2015) Optimal allocation of computational resources in hydrogeological models under uncertainty. Adv Water Resour 83:299–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.06.014ADSCrossRef

Nan T, Xue L, Wu J (2019) Efficient identification of preferential flow path in heterogeneous media based on stream function. J Hydrol 577:123961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.123961CrossRef

Neuman SP (2008) Multiscale relationships between fracture length, aperture, density and permeability. Geophys Res Lett 35(22). https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL035622

Ni P, Wang S, Wang C, Zhang S (2017) Estimation of REV size for fractured rock mass based on damage coefficient. Rock Mech Rock Eng 50(3):555–570. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-1122-xADSCrossRef

Nick HM, Paluszny A, Blunt MJ, Matthai SK (2011) Role of geomechanically grown fractures on dispersive transport in heterogeneous geological formations. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlinear Soft Matter Phys 84(5 Pt 2):056301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.06.014ADSCrossRef

Nimmo JR, Creasey KM, Perkins KS, Mirus BB (2017) Preferential flow, diffuse flow, and perching in an interbedded fractured-rock unsaturated zone. Hydrogeol J 25(2):421–444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1496-6ADSCrossRef

Qian J, Ma L, Zhan H, Luo Q, Wang X, Wang M (2016) The effect of expansion ratio on the critical Reynolds number in single fracture flow with sudden expansion. Hydrol Process 30(11):1718–1726. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10745ADSCrossRef

Qu H, Tang S, Liu Y, Huang P, Wu X, Liu Z, Li C (2022) Characteristics of complex fractures by liquid nitrogen fracturing in brittle shales. Rock Mech Rock Eng 55(4):1807–1822. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02767-7ADSCrossRef

Rasouli V, Hosseinian A (2011) Correlations developed for estimation of hydraulic parameters of rough fractures through the simulation of JRC flow channels. Rock Mech Rock Eng 44(4):447–461. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-011-0148-3ADSCrossRef

Rizzo CB, de Barros FPJ (2017) Minimum hydraulic resistance and least resistance path in heterogeneous porous media. Water Resour Res 53(10):8596–8613. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017WR020418ADSCrossRef

Rong G, Peng J, Wang X, Liu G, Hou D (2013) Permeability tensor and representative elementary volume of fractured rock masses. Hydrogeol J 21(7):1655–1671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-013-1040-xADSCrossRef

Rugh DF, Burbey TJ (2008) Using saline tracers to evaluate preferential recharge in fractured rocks, Floyd County, Virginis, USA. Hydrogeol J 16(2):251–262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-007-0236-3ADSCrossRef

Schiavo M, Riva M, Guadagnini L, Zehe E, Guadagnini A (2022) Probabilistic identification of preferential groundwater networks. J Hydrol 610:127906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127906CrossRef

Sun Z, Wang L, Zhou J-Q, Wang C (2020) A new method for determining the hydraulic aperture of rough rock fractures using the support vector regression. Eng Geol 271:105618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105618CrossRef

Sun H, Xiong F, Wei W (2022) A 2D hybrid NMM-UPM method for waterflooding processes modelling considering reservoir fracturing. Eng Geol 308:106810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2022.106810CrossRef

Thompson ME, Brown SR (1991) The effect of anisotropic surface roughness on flow and transport in fractures. J Geophys Res: Solid Earth 96(B13):21923–21932. https://doi.org/10.1029/91JB02252CrossRef

Tyukhova AR, Willmann M (2016) Connectivity metrics based on the path of smallest resistance. Adv Water Resour 88:14–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.11.014ADSCrossRef

Voeckler H, Allen DM (2012) Estimating regional-scale fractured bedrock hydraulic conductivity using discrete fracture network (DFN) modeling. Hydrogeol J 20(6):1081–1100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-012-0858-yADSCrossRef

Wang S, Feng Q, Han X (2013) A hybrid analytical/numerical model for the characterization of preferential flow path with non-Darcy flow. PLoS ONE 8(12):e83536. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083536ADSCrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Wang L, Cardenas MB, Slottke DT, Ketcham RA, Sharp JM Jr (2015) Modification of the Local Cubic Law of fracture flow for weak inertia, tortuosity, and roughness. Water Resour Res 51(4):2064–2080. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014WR015815ADSCrossRef

Wang W, Zhao W, Qian J, Ma L, Wang D, Hou X (2021a) Potential of hydraulic tomography in exploring the preferential flowpaths of water inrush in coal mine areas. J Hydrol 602:126830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126830CrossRef

Wang Z, Zhou C, Fei W, Li C, Xie H (2021b) Channeling flow and anomalous transport due to the complex void structure of rock fractures. J Hydrol 601:126624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126624CrossRef

Wang D, Qian J, Ma L, Xu H, Wang X, Wang Y (2022) Integration of multiple hydrogeological survey technologies for exploring the groundwater distribution in karst areas: a case study in Xingfu Spring, Chaohu City, China. J Hydrol 614:128637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128637CrossRef

Xiong F, Sun H, Ye Z, Zhang Q (2022a) Heat extraction analysis for nonlinear heat flow in fractured geothermal reservoirs. Comput Geotech 144:104641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2022.104641CrossRef

Xiong F, Sun H, Zhang Q, Wang Y, Jiang Q (2022b) Preferential flow in three-dimensional stochastic fracture networks: the effect of topological structure. Eng Geol 309:106856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2022.106856CrossRef

Xu T, Zhu H, Feng G, Yuan Y, Tian H (2017) On fluid and thermal dynamics in a heterogeneous CO₂ plume geothermal reservoir. Geofluids 2017:9692517. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9692517CrossRef

Xue K, Zhang Z, Zhong C, Jiang Y, Geng X (2022) A fast numerical method and optimization of 3D discrete fracture network considering fracture aperture heterogeneity. Adv Water Resour 162:104164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2022.104164

Yan Y, Qian J, Ma L, Zhao G, Deng Y, Zhang H, Fang Y, Liu Y (2023) Quantification of solute transport in a fracture-matrix system using geoelectrical monitoring. J Hydrol 617:128885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128885CrossRef

Yang G, Cook NGW, Myer LR (1993) Analysis of preferential flow paths using graph theory. Int J Rock Mech Mining Sci Geomech Abs 30:1423–1429. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(93)90131-VCrossRef

Zhan L, Hu Y, Zou L, Xu W, Ye Z, Chen R, Zhuang D, Li J, Chen Y (2022) Effects of multiscale heterogeneity on transport in three-dimensional fractured porous rock with a rough-walled fracture network. Comput Geotech 148:104836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2022.104836CrossRef

Zhu W, Khirevich S, Patzek TW (2021) Impact of fracture geometry and topology on the connectivity and flow properties of stochastic fracture networks. Water Resour Res 57(7):e2020WR028652. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR028652

Title: Effective method for identification of preferential flow paths in two-dimensional discrete fracture networks based on a flow resistance method
Authors: Lei Ma
Xuelin Cui
Chunchao Zhang
Jiazhong Qian
Di Han
Yongshuai Yan
Publication date: 19-02-2024
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Hydrogeology Journal
Print ISSN: 1431-2174
Electronic ISSN: 1435-0157
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-024-02772-4